Last update on.From section ArsenalWhite was presented to the club by Mikel Arteta, manager (left), and Edu, technical director.Arsenal signed Ben White, a England defender from Brighton, for 50m.The 23-year old, who was lately called up to Gareth Southgate’s England Euro 2020 squad, has signed a long-term contract with Emirates Stadium.The Gunners reached a principle agreement last month, with White's return from vacation completing the move.Manager Mikel Arteta stated that Ben was a top target and that he's now signed. External-link"Ben is a smart defender and is very comfortable with the ball at His feet. His style is perfect for us."And, of course, he's still young, so his profile and age fit with what we're building here. We all look forward to Ben playing a central role in our long-term future plans.This transfer marks the culmination of a meteoric rise in the career of the defender. He was released from Southampton as a teenager and signed by Brighton in 2016.After spending time on loan at Newport, Peterborough and Leeds, he joined Leeds on loan to help them win the 2019-20 Championship.White's performance at Elland Road attracted attention from many clubs including Leeds, but White instead signed a new four year contract with the Seagulls in September.The deal placed Brighton in a strong position for negotiations this summer. It is believed they rejected two offers from the Gunners, before finally reaching an agreement amid other Premier League clubs.White was part of Southgate's provisional 33 man squad for Euro 2020. He appeared in warm-up games against Austria and Romania.He was among the first seven players to be cut from the final squad. However, he returned as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold and did not appear at the tournament.White is Arsenal's third summer signing after the arrivals of Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga, a midfielder from Benfica.White will be wearing the number four shirt at Arsenal. It was left vacant following the departure of David Luiz, Arsenal's defender.
